*** ps: I haven't slept for two or three nights, and I still need to adjust. I apologize to everyone.
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In mid-November of the sixteenth year of Chongzhen, the entire Chinese land gradually entered a relatively peaceful stage from the great war between the North and the South in the autumn. Perhaps this was just the calm before the storm.
Li Zicheng's main force was still busy destroying the remnants of the Ming army in Shaanxi, and Zhang Xianzhong was advancing towards Sichuan. This time the Ming army in Sichuan did not resist strongly, and Zhang Xianzhong did not experience any hard battles. It was only a matter of time before he took control of Sichuan.
After Zuo Liangyu sent people to ask for peace from Qin Mu, he was actively preparing for war and sent his general Jin Shenghuan to lead 50,000 troops from Nanyang to the west to meet Yuan Zongdi. However, there was no battle report yet to show whether the two armies had come into contact.
Apart from this, most parts of the world seemed very peaceful at this time, with many forces hesitating and watching, each with their own thoughts.
Jiangxi and Huguang, which were controlled by Qin Mu, were training their armies and rectifying people's livelihood, while Huitong Bank was making huge money in Jiangnan.
Dusk was approaching and the cold was getting worse. After a busy day, Qin Mu dragged his tired feet back to the backyard. The lanterns under the eaves were swaying in the cold wind, flickering. In the small hall, Yang Zhi was guarding the fire, and the food on the stove had been reheated over and over again.
Seeing Qin Mu's tired face, Yang Zhi couldn't help but feel distressed. She hurried over to hold his hand and said, "Husband, how can you do this? People are not made of iron. Didn't you say it's nothing serious? Husband is so tired, you should rest for two days."
Yang Zhi's hands were warm, and Qin Mu could feel the warmth seeping straight into his heart. "Don't worry, my lady. It's okay. Take a hot bath after dinner, and your energy will be restored. By the way, how is Qiao'er?"
"Maybe he was tired from crying today. He ate something just now and went to sleep again."
"Well, then don't call her. Let her have a good sleep."
The north wind was blowing outside the door, and the warm hall was like a small world. It separated the cold and chaos from another world. Qin Mu held Yang Zhi's hand and sat down by the stove. Seeing that her face was still full of worry, the considerate and warm feeling made Qin Mu chant: "The waves are full of intentions and thousands of layers of snow, and the peach and plum blossoms are silent and spring is in full bloom. How many people in the world are like you? With a wife like this, what else can a husband ask for?"
"Husband..." Yang Zhi called softly. Dong Xiaowan was standing next to her. She was inevitably a little embarrassed when Qin Mu praised her like this. "Husband, you must be hungry. I will serve you some food right away."
"Do you have any wine? Sit down and have a drink with me." Qin Mu turned to Dong Xiaowan and ordered her, as she was rushing to serve the rice. Her movements froze. Qin Mu usually didn't drink when he had dinner with them in the backyard, so he didn't prepare any wine tonight.
"I'm sorry, sir. I'll get the wine right away."
Dong Xiaowan's skirt dragged six pieces of Xiangjiang River water, her hair was wiped with a piece of Wushan cloud, and as she turned around, the beads of the cinnabar and kingfisher hairpin swayed gently, adding a bit of beauty of a willow swaying in the wind.
Yang Zhi noticed that her husband's eyes lingered on Dong Xiaowan's pretty back, which was quite rare. Her husband had always been very cold towards Dong Xiaowan, always ordering her around like a servant and rarely even looking at her straight in the eye.
Yang Zhi bit her lower lip lightly, brought the meal to Qin Mu, and said softly, "My husband, you have worked hard. Come and have some hot food."
Qin Mu took the bowl. Perhaps because he was too tired, he was particularly touched by his wife's gentleness and virtue. He held the bowl, smiled at his gentle and docile wife, and sighed sincerely: "I'm really tired. The waves are full of intentions like thousands of layers of snow, and the peach and plum blossoms are silent like a team of spring. A pot of wine, a fishing rod, how many people in the world are like you? My wife... I won't say more. Come and sit down and have dinner together."
In a short period of time, Qin Mu had already recited this poem twice. Dong Xiaowan, who happened to come to get wine, also heard it. Like Yang Zhi, she couldn't help but feel a little surprised. Since knowing Qin Mu, Qin Mu always gave people a positive and optimistic feeling. He was busy all day long and shouldered everything. The poems he occasionally wrote were also passionate and progressive, like the half-stanza of "Qinyuanchun" last time.
However, Li Yu's poem "Fisherman" reflects the mentality of a hermit living among mountains and rivers. What Li Yu yearned for was not force and conquest, but a poetic life with spring breeze, warm rain, falling catkins and flying geese. It is normal for him to write such poems.
Qin Mu's personality is exactly the opposite of Li Yu's, but he recited Li Yu's poem twice tonight, which is surprising. Qin Mu could guess what they were thinking, and said with a self-deprecating smile: "Don't stand there like an idiot, sit down together and pour the wine."
A strong person who occasionally shows fatigue and weakness will often give people a great shock. No matter whether it is Yang Zhi or Dong Xiaowan, they couldn't bear to refuse his kindness at this moment, and sat down obediently, one poured wine for Qin Mu, and the other picked up food for Qin Mu. Yang Zhi was the most hesitant, she wanted to say something several times, and her bright eyes were full of concern.
"Haha, don't be like this, my lady. As you said, I am not made of iron. It is normal to feel tired sometimes. Come, let's have a drink."
"My dear husband, I have been feeling a little unwell these past two days and cannot drink. Please let Sister Dong drink with me."
"What's wrong, ma'am? Are you feeling uncomfortable?"
"Husband! You look so nervous. I am fine. It's probably because the weather suddenly changed and I just don't have any appetite."
Qin Mu put down his chopsticks and touched her forehead. He felt that her body temperature was normal, so he smiled and said, "You are all too fragile. You get out of breath after walking a few steps. How can I be at ease? Look at Qiao'er, she is full of energy all day long. That's what we call health."
Women like Yang Zhi and Dong Xiaowan mostly never go out of the house and stay in the embroidery tower all day long. Due to long-term lack of exercise, their bodies are extremely weak. Qin Mu's words are not an exaggeration. They really become out of breath after walking a few steps.
Even in bed, take Yang Zhi for example, if they adopted the position of woman on top and man on bottom, she couldn't last more than a few moments before becoming limp and powerless.
Yang Zhi doesn't drink, so Dong Xiaowan has to drink with Qin Mu alone. She inevitably looks a little unnatural. Qin Mu raised his glass and gestured to her, then drank first. Dong Xiaowan had no choice but to pick up the glass and drink with him.
Seeing Dong Xiaowan's appearance, Yang Zhi's mouth curled up quietly. But she suddenly felt a little nauseous, and couldn't help but cover her mouth with one hand and turned her head to the side to vomit.
"Madam, what's wrong with you? What happened? Someone, come and get a doctor." Qin Mu was so anxious that he threw down his cup and chopsticks.
"Madam, are you okay? Madam..." Dong Xiaowan came over to help Yang Zhi rub her back, but she suddenly stopped talking halfway, her watery eyes flowed to Qin Mu's face, and then she pondered: "Madam, this... could it be morning sickness?"
"Morning sickness?" Qin Mu was a little stunned.
Even Yang Zhi stopped retching and looked at Dong Xiaowan with a look that was both expectant and anxious.
Qin Mu slapped his forehead and rushed out of the flower hall. He took a step behind the maid in the front courtyard and rushed to the gate. He grabbed Li Shi by the collar and shouted, "Go, go and get a doctor, the best doctor, go, go, go..."
Li Shi and Niu Wanshan didn't know what happened, and they were both shocked: "Sir..."
"Stop talking nonsense and go get the doctor to see if the lady is pregnant."
“Ah…” Li Shi exclaimed, and ran away without saying a word, at an extremely fast speed.
"Sir..." Niu Wanshan wanted to inquire more, but Qin Mu had no time to pay attention to him and ran back to the flower hall.
Not long after, Li Shi rushed in, dragging an old doctor in as if he was kidnapping someone. The doctor with a white beard was panting so hard that he almost fainted.
Never mind. Before the other person could catch his breath, Qin Mu had already pushed him to the edge of the table, ready to take Yang Zhi's pulse.
The old doctor was furious, and finally couldn't help but stiffen his neck and said, "Governor, you must... at least let me catch my breath. How can you take my pulse like this?"
"Husband!" Although Yang Zhi was also anxious, she still had some sense of propriety. Seeing Qin Mu's panic, she couldn't help but call out softly.
Qin Mu patted his forehead again and smiled awkwardly, "This is really a matter that has nothing to do with me, but it will only cause chaos. Doctor, I'm sorry, you should take a break first. Come, give the doctor some tea."
When Dong Xiaowan turned around to serve tea, she wanted to laugh secretly in her heart. Qin Mu always gave her the impression of being very strong, and he seemed to be confident in everything he did. She had never seen him so confused. He also slapped his forehead so hard that his official hat was tilted. He looked a little funny, which was why Dong Xiaowan wanted to laugh secretly, but for some reason, she felt that this kind of Qin Mu was real and flesh and blood.
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ps: I am asking for monthly tickets. If you have monthly tickets, please vote for me to encourage me. After the Chinese New Year, I attended another funeral. I was busy day and night for two or three days. I was exhausted... ... ... .
.(To be continued..)
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